This year in Saskatoon, funds have been designated to The Salvation Army Mumford House, an emergency shelter for women and children. Mumford House has 12 bedrooms; housing 37 people with a maximum stay of 30 days. Many of these families are homeless or come from crisis situations such as abuse or addiction.

How pledge funds will assist Mumford HouseThe Salvation Army Mumford House in Saskatoon, SK is an emergency shelter for women and children. Mumford House has 12 bedrooms; housing 37 people with a maximum stay of 30 days. Those assisted are in crisis situations due to economic situations, abuse, mental health and addictions.

The idea for the shelter came after the Salvation Army observed a significant increase in the number of requests for help. In 2007, the YWCA and The Salvation Army helped more than 3,500 women and children with emergency after-hours assistance and helped secure 1,141 hotel rooms for emergency shelter. In 2008, the numbers rose to more than 5,400 individuals and 2,509 hotel rooms. Scissons, H. (2010, August 27). Emergency shelter set to open. Retrieved from The Star Phoenix. To fulfill the increased need in Saskatoon, The Salvation Army opened Mumford house in the fall of 2010.

Clients are placed at Mumford House based on a referral by the emergency after-hours worker at The Salvation Army Community Centre or directly from the Ministry of Social Services. Upon arrival at Mumford House, they are assigned a case worker to help navigate the system to a more stable living environment.

Because most clients are escaping emergency or desperate situations, many do not have the daily essentials; Mumford House needs continuous support to provide the following:

While running near full capacity on a daily basis, wear and tear on items within the home is great. The following items at Mumford House are in desperate need of replacement; linens, mattresses, furniture (couch and chairs) and lamps.

A larger project we are raising funds for is landscaping of the backyard, to provide a more entertaining and safe environment for the clients. The current state of the backyard is not inviting for the kids and adults with only a swing set structure for the children and picnic table for the adults. We would like to build a large deck with gazebo and seating area, as well as a playground area with grass for playing.

When clients come to Mumford House our main purpose is to provide a safe, stable environment, however we aim to do so in a manner that provides an atmosphere of hopefulness. Pledges raised for Santa Shuffle will help us support Mumford House, ensuring that our client receives the dignity that should be afforded to each and every individual.

In order for individual team members to collect pledges online, they must have a member profile through the www.runningroom.com Athlete Dashboard. Once a profile is created, their email address will connect with the ‘pledge and athlete’ link. Please be sure to correctly enter your team mates email addresses.

I registered online, but people who are trying to sponsor me are unable to find me on the “search for an athlete” link.

You have asked that your name be ‘hidden’ from the public confirmation list. Please contact your local Run Director and they can ‘un-hide’ your name.

I registered at my local Running Room store, but I cannot see myself on the race confirmation list.

Walk-in registrations are collected by local Salvation Army staff on a weekly basis and entered manually online. The process can take up to two weeks before your registration appears online.

Are strollers allowed?

Yes, but for safety reasons, we ask that they stay towards the back of the group.

Can I bring my dog to this event?

While we don't actively encourage anyone to bring their dog to this event, and in some cases the park that hosts the event prohibits animals, any dogs that are running with their owners should be on a leash and are the full responsibility of the owner.

Is this race timed?

No, it is a fun run without any timing.

How do I get a Santa Shuffle T-shirt?

T-shirts are complimentary with a minimum of $50 in pledges. T-shirts can also be purchased for $15.

We have 12 people for our team, but I can only register 10.

10 is the maximum number for a team. You can split your group into two teams and compete against each other for fund-raising, or register the additional two people as individuals, but still run together.

Can some of our team participate in the 5K and some do the 1K?

Yes, just be sure to tell the folks at Race Package pick-up, so that you get the appropriate coloured race bib.